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Demobilization – 1997

United Nations military observers verified that the Guatemalan Armed Forces and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) separated, assembled in the proper locations, and began demobilizing on schedule—even ahead of schedule in some cases. A total of 2,928 URNG personnel assembled at the camps, which was 642 less than the 3,570 on the list submitted to the UN military observers previously, but subsequent investigations showed that the concentration of URNG forces was indeed complete. An additional 1,258 persons affiliated with the URNG were not required to go to the assembly points, but they were registered and issued identification cards. After the verification of concentration on 24 March, the URNG combatants were demobilized in three waves, beginning on 15 April and ending on 2 May.¹

The Ministry of Defense began reducing military personnel in accordance with the Agreement on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and on the Role of Armed Forces in a Democratic Society. By the end of 1997, the number of active duty troops dropped from 46,900 to 31,270, which actually exceeded the 33% reduction mandated by the agreements. However, the Armed Forces did not satisfy the agreement in terms of geographic redeployment and redistribution.²

1. “Report of the Secretary-General on the Group of Military Observers Attached to MINUGUA,” United Nations Security Council (S/1997/432), June 4, 1997.
2. “Verification Report: Status of the Commitments of the Peace Agreements Relating to the Armed Forces,” United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), May 2002; “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/52/757), February 4, 1998.